[0001] This invention relates to the novel quinazolinone derivative, 2-fluoromethyl-3-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenyl)-6-amino-4(3H)-quinazolinone
or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt thereof, a process for preparing
the same and a pharmaceutical composition containing same. The new compound has the
structural formula I:

[0002] The new quinazolinone derivative (I) of the present invention and a pharmaceutically
acceptable acid addition salt thereof are useful as central muscle relaxants.
[0003] The muscle relaxing activity of 2-fluoromethyl-3-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenyl)-6-amino-4(3H)-quinazolinone
when examined by the rotating rod method (mice) is about 36.6 times stronger than
that of Mephenesin (chemical name: 3-(o-tolyloxy)-1,2-propanediol). Moreover, the
compound I of the invention shows greater safety as compared with said known muscle
relaxant. The safety margin (i.e., the potency ratio of the acute toxicity to the
muscle relaxing activity) of 2-fluoromethyl-3-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenyl)-6-amino-4(3H)-quinazolinone
of the invention is about 12.7 times as high as that of Mephenesin.
[0004] From FR-A-2 247 246 the compound 2-fluoromethyl-3-(2-methylphenyl)-6-amino-4(3H)-quinazolinone

is known. Furthermore, from Chem. Phar. Bull., 27 (11), 2675―2687 (1979) the compound
2-fluoromethyl-3-(2-methyl-4-bromophenyl)-6-amino-4(3H)-quinazolinone

is known.
[0005] The compound of the present invention has stronger muscle felaxing activity than
those of the prior art compounds. When the muscle relaxing activity of each of the
test compounds was examined by the rotating rod test, for example, the 50% effective
dose (ED
so) of compound I of the present invention was 13.6 mg/kg, whereas the ED
so of compound A and B was 21.4 to 22.4 mg/kg. These facts clearly demonstrate that
the muscle relaxing activity of compound I of the present invention was about 1.6
times stronger than those of compounds A and B.
[0006] When the safety margin was estimated in terms of the ratio of the 50% lethal dose
(ED
so) to the muscle relaxing activity (ED
so), for example, said safety margin of compound I of the present invention was about
2 to 3 times greater than those of compounds A and B.
[0007] According to the present invention, the compound I can be prepared according to the
following reaction scheme.

[0008] Namely, the compound I can be prepared by condensing the compound II with fluoroacetic
acid III or a reactive derivative thereof, subjecting the resultant compound IV to
intramolecular cyclization, and then reducing the thus-obtained compound V.
[0009] The condensation reaction of the compound II with the compound III or a reactive
derivative thereof can be accomplished by conventional manners. For example, the condensation
of the compound II with the compound III is conducted in the presence of a dehydrating
agent in a solvent. N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or N,N'-carbonyl-diimidazole are
preferably employed as the dehydrating agent. Dimethylformamide and dimethylacetamide
are suitable as the reaction solvent. It is preferred to carry out the reaction at
a temperature of 15° to 100°C. Alternatively, the condensation of the compound II
with the reactive derivative of fluoroacetic acid III is conducted in the presence
of an acid acceptor in a solvent. Organic bases such as pyridine or triethylamine,
and inorganic bases such as alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate (e.g., sodium carbonate,
potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate) are employed as
the acid acceptor. Tetrahydrofuran, dioxane and dimethylformamide are suitable as
the reaction solvent. Preferred examples of the reactive derivative of fluoroacetic
acid III include the corresponding acid anhydride and acid halide (e.g., chloride,
bromide). When fluoroacetic acid anhydride is employed, it is preferred to carry out
the condensation at a temperature of 15° to 100°C. On the other hand, when fluoroacetyl
halide is employed, it is preferred to carry out the condensation at a temperature
of - 20° to 50°C, especially 0° to 20°C.
[0010] The ultra-molecular cyclization of the compound IV is conducted in the presence of
boron trifluoride (etherate) or acetic anhydride in a solvent under heating. Acetic
acid, toluene or dioxane are suitable as the solvent. It is preferred to carry out
the reaction at a temperature of 90° to 120°C.
[0011] The reduction of the compound V is conducted by treating it with a reducing agent
in a solvent. Suitable examples of the reducing agent include a mixture of multivalent
metal or multivalent metal chloride and an acid. Examples of multivalent metal include,
for example, tin, iron or zinc. Preferred example of the corresponding metal chloride
is stannous chloride. Suitable examples of the acid include mineral acids such as
hydrobromic acid or hydrochloric acid, and organic acids such as acetic acid or propionic
acid. Water, methanol, ethanol, acetic acid, ether, tetrahydrofuran or a mixture thereof
are suitable as the solvent. It is preferred to carry out the reaction at a temperature
of 0° to 80°C, especially 0° to 40°C. Alternatively, the reduction of the compound
V may be conducted by catalytic hydrogenation thereof. This catalytic hydrogenation
is carried out in the presence of a catalyst in a hydrogen gas atmosphere in a solvent.
Examples of the catalyst include palladium-charcoal, palladium-ballium sulfate, palladium
black, Raney nickel, Raney cobalt and platinum dioxide. Acetic acid, ethanol ortetrahydrofuran
are suitable as the solvent. It is preferred to carry out the reaction at a temperature
of 10° to 100°C, especially 30° to 60°C, under an atmospheric pressure.
[0012] As mentioned hereinbefore, the compound I shows a potent muscle relaxing activity
and is useful for the therapeutic treatment of abnormal elevation of muscle tonus
resulting from cervicobranchial syndrom and lumbago, spastic paralysis or neurogenic
bladder.
[0013] The compound I can be used for pharmaceutical use either in the form of a free base
or an acid addition salt thereof. Pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt of
the compound I includes, for example, hydrochloride, hydrobromide, perchlorate, nitrate,
sulfate, phosphate, methanesulfonate, ethanesulfonate, benzenesulfonate, p-toluenesulfonate
and sulfanilate. A daily dose of the compound I will vary depending on severity of
disease, age, weight or conditions of patients and other factors. A suitable daily
dose of the compound I or a salt thereof may be about 0.05 to about 5.0 mg/kg, especially
0.1 to 2.0 mg/kg. Further, the compound I or a salt thereof may be used in the form
of a pharmaceutical preparation containing the same compound in conjuction or admixture
with a pharmaceutical excipient suitable for oral or parenteral administration. Suitable
excipients include, for example, starch, lactose, gelatin, glucose, sodium chloride,
magnesium stearate, talcum, vegetable oil, benzylalcohol, gums and other known medicinal
excipients. The pharmaceutical preparations may be in solid form such as tablets,
pills, capsules or suppositories; or in liquid form such as solutions, suspensions
or emulsions. They may be sterilized and/or may further contain auxiliaries such as
stabililizing, wetting or emulsifying agent.
[0014] Concomitantly, the starting compound II of the invention may be prepared, for example,
by reacting 5-nitroisatoic anhydride of the formula:

with an aniline derivative of the formula:

[0015] Practical and presently-preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustratively
shown in the following Examples.
Experiment
(A) Muscle relaxing activity (the rotating rod method)
[0016] The test compound dissolved or suspended in an aqueous 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose
sodium salt solution was administered orally to a group of three male mice (ddY-strain,
body weight: 18-20 g). After administration of the test compound, the mice were placed
on a rotating rod (3.5 cm in diameter, 7.5 r.p.m.) at intervals, and the number of
mice which fell out of the rod at least twice within one minute was counted. The 50%
effective dose (ED
so) of the test compound was calculated therefrom according to the probit method.
(B) Acute toxicity
[0017] The test compound dissolved or suspended in an aqueous 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose
sodium salt solution was administered orally to a group of six male mice (ddY-strain,
body weight: 18-20 g). The 50% lethal dose (LD
so) of the test compound was calculated according to the probit method from the number
of mice which died within a period of 72 hours after administration.
[0018] The results are shown in the following Table.

Example
[0019]
(1) 3.3 g of N-(2-amino-5-nitrobenzoyl)-2-methyl-4-chloroaniline and 1.6 g of pyridine
are dissolved in 60 ml of tetrahydrofuran, and 1.93 g of fluoroacetyl chloride are
added dropwise thereto under ice-cooling and stirring. The mixture is stirred for
30 minutes under ice-cooling and further stirred at room temperture for 2 hours. The
mixture is concentrated under reduced pressure to remove tetrahydrofuran. Water is
added to the residue and crystalline precipitates are collected therefrom. The crystals
are recrystallized from a mixture of dimethylformamide and ethanol (1:3). 3.6 g of
N-(2-fluoroacetamido-5-nitrobenzoyl)-2- methyi-4-chioroaniiine are obtained as colorless
needles.
M.p. 238-239°C
NMR (DMSO-d6)6: 2.28 (3H, s), 507 (2H, d, J=45Hz), 7.23-7.59 (3H, m), 8.42 (1 H, d, d, J=9Hz,
J=3Hz), 8.73 (1H, d, J=9Hz), 8.87 (1H, d, J=3Hz), 10.64 (1H, s), 11.98 (1H, broad s)
(2) 22.0 g of N-(2-fluoroacetamido-5-nitrobenzoyl)-2-methyl-4-chloroaniline are dissolved
in 170 ml of acetic acid, and 20 g of boron trifluoride etherate are added thereto.
The mixture is stirred at 95° to 100°C for 30 minutes under stirring. The mixture
is cooled and concentrated under reduced pressure to remove acetic acid. Water is
added to the residue and the mixture is neutralized with sodium bicarbonate. The mixture
is extracted with chloroform, and the extract is washed with water, dried and then
concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure. Isopropanol is added to the crystalline
residue and the crystals are collected therefrom. The thus-obtained crystals are recrystallized
from a mixture of dimethylformamide and ethanol (1:2). 18.5 g of 2-fluoromethyl-3-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenyl)-6-nitro-4(3H)-quinazolinone
are obtained as colorless prisms.
M.p. 190-192°C
NMR (DMSO-d6)6: 2.13 (3H, s), 5.11 (2H, d, J=45Hz), 7.30-7.82 (3H, m), 8.00 (1H, d, J=9Hz), 8.30
(1H, d,d, J=9Hz, J=2Hz), 8.83 (1H, d, J=2Hz)
(3) 17.5 g of 2-fluoromethyl-3-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenyl)-6-nitro-4(3H)-quinazolinone
are suspended in 260 mi of methanol, and a solution of 45.9 g of stannous chloride
dihydrate in 39.1 ml of conc. hydrochloric acid is added thereto under ice-cooling
and stirring. The mixture is further stirred under ice-cooling for one hour and then
stirred at room temperature overnight. The reaction mixture is poured into 1.5 litres
of water, and adjusted to pH 4 to 5 with sodium bicarbonate. 500 ml of chloroform
are added to the mixture and the mixture is stirred. Insoluble materials are collected
by filtration, and washed with chloroform. The chloroform layers of the filtrate and
the washings are combined. The chloroform solution is dried and concentrated to dryness
under reduced pressure. Isopropanol is added to the residue and crystalline precipitates
are collected therefrom. The thus-obtained crystals (14.8 g M.p. 188-191°C) are recrystallized
from ethanol. 13.3 g of 2-fluoromethyl-3-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenyl)-6-amino-4(3H)-quinazolinone
are obtained as colorless prisms.
M.p. 191-193°C
NMR (CDCl3)5: 2.10 (3H, s), 4.17 (2H, broad s), 4.92 (2H, d, J=46Hz), 6.94-7.72 (6H, m)
Preparation of the Starting Compound
[0020] A mixture of 4.16 g of 5-nitroisatoic anhydride, 3.7 g of 2-methyl-4-chloroaniline
and 25 ml of xylene is refluxed for 30 minutes with heating. After the reaction is
completed, the reaction mixture is cooled and crystalline precipitates are collected
therefrom. The thus-obtained crystals are recrystallized from a mixture of dimethylformamide
and ethanol, whereby N-(2-amino-5-nitrobenzoyl)-2-methyl-4-chloroaniline is obtained.
Yield: 71% M.p. 219-221°C